The last thing I need is another holiday with its overinflated expectations and endless chores. So when Jackson suggested a new family holiday – that would be celebrated monthly – I was a bit skeptical and apprehensive. Like most holidays, Giving Day (as our new holiday is called) has not gone according to plan. And yet, it’s all kinds of awesome. I recently wrote about Giving Day – what it is, how it has gone awry, and what we’ve learned – on The Mid. Below is an excerpt but you can read the article in its entirety here.
An aspiring minimalist, I want to shed the excess and simplify; the last thing I want is more stuff in the house, and I was hesitant to buy into one more holiday that was dependent on, well, buying things. Not to mention the fact that my husband and I are already stretched pretty thin, and I didn’t want to add one more chore to our list of obligations.
Yet in spite of my reservations, I was intrigued by my son’s idea and captivated by his enthusiasm. As we talked more about what he envisioned for his newly invented family holiday, it became clear that Giving Day consisted of two things: giving and togetherness….
By the time Giving Day rolled around, despite my better judgment, I was optimistic, hopeful and excited—which meant a high risk for unrealistic expectations and resulting disappointment. After a fairly relaxing start to the day, we exchanged gifts. Jackson gave me a journal; I gave my husband a bag of spicy almonds; he gave our younger son, Teddy, an Iron Man mask; and Teddy gave Jackson a wind-up hopping eyeball that he picked up at a garage sale. I snapped a few pictures of everyone holding their gifts and smiling. And then, as expected, Giving Day lost its sheen, its sparkle, its glow.
You can read more about how the day turned out here.
And some photos from our second Giving Day (which also did not go as planned) are below.
2 Comments
But what a great idea Giving Day is! Poor sad Teddy. Going to read the linked post now.
Heading over!